Horse-collar fastener



(No Model.)

Wzess es 0. P. LETCHWORTH. HoRsB COLLAR PASTENER.

Patented June 9, 1891.

UNITED STAT-Es PATENT OEEICE.

OGDEN P. IAETCIIVORTI'I, OF BUFFALO, NEV YORK.

HORSE-COLLAR FASTENER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Fatent No. 453,786, dated June 9,1891.

Application led July 1, 1890. Serial No. 357,366. (No model.)

To a/ZZ whom it may concern,.-

Beit known that I, OGDEN P. LETCHWORTH, a citizen of the United States,residing at Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, haveinvented a new and useful Improvement in Horse Collar Fasteners, ofwhich the following is a specification.

My invention relates to the couplings or fastenings which are employedfor connecting together the separable ends of divided horse-collars; andthe object of the invention is the production of a cheap and simplefastening which permits the ends of the horsecollar to be readilyconnected and disconnected.

In the accompanying drawings,Figure l is a fragmentary bottom view of ahorse-collar provided with my improved fastening. Fig. 2 is alongitudinal section thereof. Fig. 3 is a side view of the parts of thefastening detached from the collar. Fig. 4 is a detached View of theparts of the fastening viewed from. the side opposite to that shown inFig. l.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts in the several gures.

A A represent the adjacent ends of the horse-collar, and B B are thecoupling-plates, secured, respectively, to the end portions of thecollar. These coupling-plates are preferably V-shaped in cross-sectionand seated in the cavity between the roll and the body of the collar.

C representsaconnecting-link pivoted atits inner end to one of thecoupling-plates, near the end thereof, and extendingacross the jointbetween the two plates when the same are fastened together. Thisconnecting-link is pivoted to the coupling-plate by a transverse pin orbolt passing through perforated ears formed on the plate and aperforated knuckle formed at the inner end of the link, as shown.

D is a locking-lever pivoted at its inner end between two lugs or earsformed at the outer end of the connecting-link C. This lever is providedat its inner end with a cam cZ,which is adapted to engage behind aprojecting rib or lug e, arranged at the end of the opposingcoupling-plate, as clearly represented in Fig. 2. The inner side of thisrib is preferably recesssed or undercut, as shown in said figure, toforma more secure seat for the cam ofthe locking-lever. The locking-lever isprovided at its free end with a curved cross-bar f, which rests againstthe outer face of the coupling-plate when the cam is engaged in therecess of the rib e, and the locking-lever is held in this position bythe haine-strap connecting the lower ends of the haines. The ends of thecross-bar f are bent outwardly to form hooks Wh ich embrace the edges ofthe haines and assist in holding the haines in place upon the collar andprevent it from being drawn over the roll of the collar by a forwardpull on the harnes. The coupling-plates are preferably provided withsimilar retaining-hooks g. One of the coupling-plates is provided at itsouter end with a tenon or projection h and the other coupling-plate witha recess or seat 7L', formed between the face of the plate and theknuckle of the link C, which recess receives said tenen. The two platesare firmly interlocked by the recess and tenon, thereby retaining theends of the horse-collar in proper alignment.

c' is a loop formed on 011e of the couplingplates for holding the lowerend of the martingale-strap when the ends of the collar are separated.The ends of the collar are united by bringing the same together andinterlocking their tenon and recess, swinging the connecting-link acrossthe joint between the coupling-plates by means of the locking-1e ver, soas to engage the cam of the lever behind the rib of the opposingcoupling-plate, and then pressing the lever inwardly against theadjacent coupling-plate. In moving the locking-lever inwardly its cam iscaused to draw the coupling-plates toward each other, thereby firmlyconnecting the plates together. Then the hames are secured in place uponthe collar, the strap connecting the lower ends of the haines holds thelocking-lever in place and prevents the sections of the collar frombeing separated. The ends of the collar are readily separated bydisconnecting the lower haine-straps and swinging the locking-lever withthe connecting-link outwardly, as shown in Fig. 3.

I claim as my inventionl. A horse-collar fastening consisting of acoupling-plate secured to one end of a horsecollar and provided with atransverse rib or projection, a coupling-plate secured to the opposingend of the horse-collar and provided with a connecting-link adapted toextend IOG link pivoted to the plate and adapted to extend across thejoint between the plates, and 15 a looking-lever pivoted to the outerend of said link and having t cani adapted to engage behind thetransverse lug of the opposing plate, substantiaily as set forth.

Witness my hand this 6th day of June, zo 1890.

OGDEN P. LETCHWORTH.

Witnesses:

EDWIN P. SEARS, ALBERT F. VIEDRIGH.

